At 7-foot-2, Kai Sotto is taller than every other kid in the country. But he is still the same kid – still innocent, shy and dependent – as everybody else of his age.
That was the biggest concern of Kai’s mother, Pamela, who at first resisted her son’s decision to leave the country to pursue his ultimate NBA dream.
“Siyempre, ako actually, yung may ayaw (noong una). Ayoko.
“The thought kasi na mag-isa lang si Kai, ‘di ako agree,” admitted Pamela Sotto during her son’s sendoff presser and party hosted by Chooks-to-Go Monday evening at the Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.
Sotto, who is only 16 years old, announced last Monday his decision to take his act abroad. He will try to become the first homegrown Filipino cager in the NBA by 2021 or 2022.
Sotto will start with a two-month training in Atlanta, Georgia, before deciding on which European ball club to join over the coming months. He has received serious offers from Spanish clubs like Barcelona, Baskonia, Estudiantes and Real Madrid, together with Germany’s ALBA Berlin.
Unknown to everybody, though, the decision didn’t come easy for the Sotto family – especially to Kai.
Pamela admitted her son had been hesitant to entertain the international offers. Sotto admitted he wasn’t ready to leave his family yet – especially with how close their bond is, being the baby boy of his beloved mother.
“Sobrang baby ko yan si Kai eh, kasi seven years yung gap nila ng sister niya. So yung attention ko lahat nasa kanya. Ganun, kaya siguro attached siya sa akin,” Pamela said.
“I don’t work din kasi. Full-time ako sa kanila kaya lahat ng atensyon ko nasa kanila. Sobrang tight ng bonding namin, kaya siguro ganyan din siya na hindi siya maka-decide na umalis at to be alone.”
Indeed, Kai’s first request for the ball clubs and agents trying to secure his services was if he could bring his family abroad. And, according to Pamela, most ball clubs allowed it, leading to Kai’s whole-hearted decision to give it a shot.
After all, Kai is just a kid like every 16-year old teens in the Philippines, making it hard for Pamela to accept his son’s departure at first.
“I can see na hindi pa siya independent. Yun yung concern ko – na walang magluluto, walang maglalaba for him. Mga ganun lang,” she added.
“Siyempre malaki lang siya, [pero] still, bata pa rin. Guidance pa rin ng parents yung kailangan.”
Kai will be accompanied by his dad Ervin on his flight to Atlanta on April 1. Meanwhile, Pamela and the other members of the Sotto family will follow them in May.
The Sotto family is expected to be back home in June, as Kai vowed to still play for the Philippine youth team Batang Gilas in the upcoming 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup set from June 29 to July 7 in Greece.
